Writing aid

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed an improved writing aid which embodies two substantially parallel rulers selectively adjustably fixed at a spacing from one another and which delimit therebetween a writing field for drawing with a uniform height characters, such as letters and numbers.

United States Patent Inventor Rudolf Villiger Mulinenstrasse 30, Bum-Switzerland Appl. No. 823,356 Filed May 9, 1969 Patented Sept. 7, 1971 Priority May 15, 1968 Switzerland 7500/68 WRITING AID 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 33/174 B, 33/108 Int. Cl B431 13/02 Field of Search 33/108,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,016,985- 10/1935 Carlson 33/174 B 2,430,230 11/1947 Kuhl 33/174 B Primary Examiner-Harry N. l-laroian Att0rney.lacobi, Davidson and Kleeman ABSTRACT: There is disclosed an improved writing aid which embodies two substantially parallel rulers selectively adjustably fixed at a spacing from one another and which delimit therebetween a writing field for drawing with a uniform height characters, such as letters and numbers.

PATENTEUSEP "nan 9.902.999

Fig. 4

INVENTOR. R D J-F' VII-L [GER ,w tm c AID BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved writing or drafting aid for the writing 'of characters, such as letters and numbers by way of example.

Already known to the art as writing aids are writing stencils in which the letters and numbers are punched out. However, these writingstencils possess the drawback that for each heightand sizeof the characters or written material, it is necessary to use a special stencil, and oftentimes, in addition thereto, an appropriate pen. Additionally, performance of the writing operation with such stencils is very time consuming because each individual letter has to first be located at the stencil and has to be placed at the proper location over the paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved writing or drafting aid which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Another, more specific object of the present invention deals with an improved writing aid enabling the neat, accurate and rapid writing of characters, typically numbers and letters.

Still a further significant object of the present invention re lates to an improved writing aid of the mentioned type which is relatively simple in construction, economical to manufacture, extremely easy to use,'resulting in neat, accurate and artistic presentation of characters, such as letters and num-' bers.

Yet afurther significant object of the present invention, and one which is directed at obviating the previously recited drawbacks of the prior art constructions, deals with the provision of a new and improved writing aid which renders possible the rapid writing of different print styles and sizes, and in addition thereto enables the use of different writing instruments, such as, for instance, pencils, ballpoint pens, indelible pens, felt-tip pens or markers, or stencil pens.

Now, in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the inventive writing aid is generally manifested by the features that it embodies two substantially parallel rulers fixed at a spacing from one another and which delimit or bound a writing field for aconstant height of the characters. In the writing field formed between both of these I rulers, it is possible to freely write within the provided height.

According to apreferred embodiment of the invention, the one ruler possesses arms which protrude therefrom over the other ruler, at which the other ruler is slidably guided in a direction substantially perpendicular to its lengthwise extension. A circular bar or rod is rotatably mounted in these arms of the aforesaid one ruler, this circular bar extending substantially over the entire length of the other ruler. This circular bar furthermore carriers a rotary knob as well as gears which cooperatewith gear racks which are fixedly connected with the aforementioned other ruler Moreover, the circular bar, between the ends of the rulers, can serve as a sliding rail for a lengthwise slide which carries a ruler which, in turn, can be adjusted into difieren't inclinations with respect to bothparallel rulers and which bridges the spacing between these parallel rulers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING plan view of a first embodiment of inventive FIG. 3 is a topplan view ofa second embodiment of-the inventive writing aid; and,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view ofa third embodiment ofinventive writing aid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now the drawing, in the embodiment of writing aid depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numerals l and 2 designate two parallel extending rulers. It will be seen that two arm members 3 extend away from the ends of the ruler 1 at right angles thereto. Each of the arm members 3 is provided at its underside with a respective groove extending perpendicular to the rulers 1 and 2 and in which engage rib means provided at the ends of the ruler 2. This parallel guide arrangement renders possible displacement of the ruler 2 towards or away from the ruler 1 and thus permits selective adjustment of the spacing between both rulers l and 2.

A circular rod or bar 4 is inserted above the ruler 2 into suitable grooves 3a of the arm members 3, as shown. The grooves 3a are closed towards the top by means of small plates 5 threadably connected with the ruler 2. At one end of the cir cular bar or rod 4, laterally of both rulers 1 and 2, there is secured to a rotary knob 6 which is rigidly connected for rotation with the rod 4. Furthermore, beneath the plates 5, there is seated upon the rod 4 a respective gear 7 which meshes with an associated gear rack 8 formed at the underside of each of the plates 5. By rotating the rotary knob 6, it is thus possible to adjust the spacing between both rulers l and 2, and there appears between both such rulers a writing field for a constant character or letter height.

Within this writing field, it is possible to freely write with any desired writing instrument. Furthermore, a millimeter division or other type of graduated scale 9 at the opposite edges of the rulers 1 and 2 enables maintaining uniform the width of the individual characters, such as letters, as well as the spacing of the letters and the words. On the other hand, the same height of the letters results through contact of the writing instrument with the upper and lower rulers 2 and 1, respectively.

At both of the arm members 3 there are likewise provided scales 10, preferably having a millimeter division or graduation, which cooperate with suitable marker means 11 provided at the plates 5 in such a way that at these graduations, the momentarily adjusted spacing can be read off or regulated, respectively, as the case may be, and controlled. an the illustrated embodiment, this. spacing is zero.

As is particularly evident by referring to FIG. 2, the circular rod or bar 4 between the ends of the rulers extends above the ruler 2. Therefore, this rod 4 can serve in the most simple manner as a slide rail for a longitudinal slide member 12. The latter consists of a substantially sector-shaped portion 13 which carries at its upper surface two parallel ribs 14, the spacing of which corresponds to the diameter of the rod 4 and which receive this rod 4 therebetween. Further, at the sectorshaped portion 13, there is pivotably mounted about the pivot point 15 a short ruler 16. Short ruler 16 extends transverse to both rulers l and 2, and the length of which is dimensioned such that even for the largest spacing between the rulers l and 2 it bridges the intermediately disposed writing field.

Continuing, it will be seen that an angle scale 17 is applied to the sector-shaped portion 13 and the ruler 16 is equipped with a point 20 at its lengthwise extending axis. This point or tip 20 is visible through the sector-shaped member 13 formed of transparent material. Reference character l9-designates depressions or recesses at the member 13 into which snap a raised portion at the ruler 16 during selected angular positions, for. instance, with the illustrated embodiment in the positions $45", 1'30, il5, and 0. These angles relate to the position of the short ruler 16 with respect to the parallel rulers l and 2.

The ruler 16 is equipped with a window 17 which-possesses at one or both edges 18 a scale or serrations. This scale is a further aid for intermediate parallel lines, as such occur, for

y 3 instance, with the letters E and F." In the main, however, the lengthwise or longitudinal slide member 12 serves as an aid for portions of the letters which extend transverse and at an inclination to the rulers 1 and 2, such as for the letters T,

I l and V, "W," and K, respectively.

,bolt members 21 are mounted to be easily rotatable at the ruler 1 and are secured by pins 22 which engage in grooves 23 at these bolt members and, on the other hand, are threaded into threaded bores 24 provided at ruler 2. By rotating the small adjustment wheels 25, also in this embodiment, both of the rulers l, 2 can be adjusted in their spacing A with respect to one another, so that once again there appears between such rulers l, 2 a writing field, here designated by reference character 100, in which a desired size of writing can be freely written. A graduation or scale 28 permits, also for this embodiment, the arrangement of the width of the letters at a uniform spacing from one another. In order to maintain an exact height of the writing, measurement rods 29 are secured to both ends of the ruler 2. In order to obtain a quick and uniform adjustment of the rulers, the adjustment wheels 25 extend past the ruler surfaces. Thus, the device can be turned through 180 so that the wheels 25 come to bear upon the surface of the table, and by applying a slight pressure by means of the fingers to the ruler 2 and by displacing the device towards the left or the right proper desired adjustment of the rulers l, 2 is possible.

The embodiment depicted in FIG. 4 merely differs from that of the previous embodiment in that here both of the rulers 1 and 2 are pivotably connected with one another by links 30 or equivalent structure. These links 30 are fastened through the agency of rivets 31 with a tight fit at the rulers l and 2, whereby, during writing, these rulers are not unintentionally displaced.

it should be apparent from the foregoing detailed description that the objects set forth at the outset of the Specification have been successfully achieved.

Accordingly, what is claimed is:

l. A writing aid for writing characters, such as letters and numbers, comprising two parallel rulers fixed at a spacing from one another to delimit a writing field for a constant height of the characters, means for selectively adjusting the spacing between both of said rulers, one of said rulers possessing protruding arm means extending towards and over the other of said rulers, said other ruler being slidably guided by said arm means substantially perpendicular to its lengthwise extension, and a circular bar rotatably mounted at said arm means of said one ruler, said circular bar extending substantially over the entire length of said other ruler, a rotary knob and gear means carried by said circular bar, gear rack means fixedly connected with said other ruler, said gear means cooperating with said gear rack means.

2. A writing aid as defined in claim 1, wherein said circular bar serves as a slide rail between the ends of said rulers for a longitudinal slide, a longitudinal slide slidably mounted upon said slide rail, a ruler member carried by said longitudinal slide which can be adjusted to different inclinations with respect to both of said parallel rulers and which bridges the spacing between said parallel rulers. 3. A writing aid as defined in claim 2, wherein said longitudinal slide possesses graduation means extending in its lengthwise direction which serves as an aid for drawing intermediate parallel lines. 

1. A writing aid for writing characters, such as letters and numbers, comprising two parallel rulers fixed at a spacing from one another to delimit a writing field for a constant height of the characters, means for selectively adjusting the spacing between both of said rulers, one of said rulers possessing protruding arm means extending towards and over the other of said rulers, said other ruler being slidably guided by said arm means substantially perpendicular to its lengthwise extension, and a circular bar rotatably mounted at said arm means of said one ruler, said circular bar extending substantially over the entire length of said other ruler, a rotary knob and gear means carried by said circular bar, gear rack means fixedly connected with said other ruler, saiD gear means cooperating with said gear rack means.
 2. A writing aid as defined in claim 1, wherein said circular bar serves as a slide rail between the ends of said rulers for a longitudinal slide, a longitudinal slide slidably mounted upon said slide rail, a ruler member carried by said longitudinal slide which can be adjusted to different inclinations with respect to both of said parallel rulers and which bridges the spacing between said parallel rulers.
 3. A writing aid as defined in claim 2, wherein said longitudinal slide possesses graduation means extending in its lengthwise direction which serves as an aid for drawing intermediate parallel lines. 